This invention relates to use of soy protein to replace a significant portion of sodium caseinate or other dairy proteins in imitation dairy compositions. The invention relates to the imitation dairy compositions and methods of making such compositions. The stable, healthful and cost-effective composition is most desirably obtained when soy flour is treated prior to making the composition, either by heat treatment or protease treatment. This invention is especially directed to preparation of dips wherein a substantial amount, and preferably essentially all, dairy protein is replaced with soy protein.
The health benefits of soybeans have been known for some time. For centuries, soybeans have been the primary source of protein in Asian countries, and in recent years the popularity of soy-based products has increased in the United States. Along with a tendency to lower cholesterol levels, soybeans have recently been linked with, or suggested as having a possible role in, inhibiting cancerous or tumor cells. Additionally, soy protein contains an amino acid profile that is among the most complete of all vegetable protein sources, and resembles, with the exception of the sulfur-containing amino acids, the pattern derived from high-quality animal protein sources. Thus, efforts have been made to incorporate soy into a wide variety of foods.
Examples of efforts to utilize soy proteins in salad dressings include U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,808 (use of soy proteins as the sole or dominant emulsifier); U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,795 (use of soybean protein in a semisolid egg yolk-free dressing); U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,395 (use of a partial hydrolyzate of alcohol denatured soybean protein as an emulsifier); U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,015 (use of a glycero phospholipid which contained at least about 40 percent mono acyl glycero phospholipid to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion of soy sauce and fat or oil); U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,629 (preparation of an egg white substitute from defatted soy bean material using proteolytic hydrolysis followed by ultrafiltration; the egg white substitute reported to have superior emulsifying ability, good nutritional value, and no bitter taste); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,007 (obtained hydrolyzed soy protein using a protease enzyme followed by a separation step to recover both low and high solubility hydrolyzed soy protein; the low solubility hydrolyzed soy protein was reported to have excellent emulsifying properties)
Examples of efforts to utilize soy proteins in cheese or cheese-like products include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,477 (a process cheese-like product containing soy cheese); U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,656 (a curd product derived by water extraction of protein from a defatted soy bean followed by coagulation of the protein to form curds and whey; curd product can be mixed with or incorporated into cheese); U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,691 (stimulated cheese containing soy protein); U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,349,576 and 4,345,438 (vegetable protein isolates, including soy protein isolates, which can be incorporated into imitation cheese products); U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,569 (cheese analog product prepared from soy milk, vegetable oil, dairy whey, caseinate, and water); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,449 (isoflavone-enriched soy protein product which can be used as an ingredient in cheese products (as well as other food products)).
It would be desirable to provide other methods and compositions whereby the beneficial effects of soybeans can be incorporated into food products. It would also be desirable to provide methods and compositions whereby soy proteins can be used to replace sodium caseinate or other dairy proteins in imitation dairy compositions, including dips. The present invention provides such methods and compositions.
This invention relates to use of soy protein to replace a significant portion of sodium caseinate or other dairy proteins in imitation dairy compositions. The invention relates to the imitation dairy compositions and methods of making such compositions. The stable, healthful and cost-effective composition is most desirably obtained when soy flour is treated prior to making the composition, preferably either by heat treatment or protease treatment, in order to denature a substantial amount of the soy protein and carbohydrates (i.e., greater than about 40 and 50 percent, respectively) in the starting soy flour. This invention is especially directed to preparation of dips wherein a substantial amount (i.e., greater than about 50 percent, preferably greater than about 60 percent, and more preferably greater than about 70 percent) of dairy protein is replaced with soy protein. For purposes of this invention, a xe2x80x9csubstantial amountxe2x80x9d of dairy protein is intended to also include cases where all the dairy protein is replace by soy protein.
The present application provides an imitation dairy composition and a method for making such an imitation dairy composition utilizing soy protein instead of, or in place of, conventional dairy proteins. In the present application, soy proteins, preferably in the form of soy flour, soy protein concentrate, or soy protein isolate, are used to make the imitation dairy composition. The imitation dairy composition disclosed herein are especially useful in preparing food products such as dips. Generally, the present soy-containing food products of this invention are as stable and as flavorful as conventional dairy food products; they are, however, less expensive and provide substantial health benefits to the consumer. Soy protein reportably can lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancer, reduce symptoms associated with menopause, and contribute to bone heath and longevity. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a Cardiac Vascular Disease (CVD) health claim for soy protein for its cholesterol-lowering ability. In addition, soy protein is also known to have emulsifier functionality. The use of soy protein, especially soy flour, to replace costly sodium caseinate in imitation dairy compositions, especially dips, can result in significant cost savings.
In one embodiment of the present application, the soy protein source is soy flour, which has been heat-treated prior to incorporation into the imitation dairy composition. The invention provides for dispersing the soy flour in water and heating it to a temperature of about 75 to about 100xc2x0 C. (preferably to about 80 to about 85xc2x0 C.) for a time sufficient to denature a substantial amount of the proteins and carbohydrates (i.e., at least about 40 percent and at least about 50 percent, respectively) contained therein (generally about 1 to about 15 minutes). The treated soy flour can be used in various food products. For example, to prepare a soy-containing dip, the soy flour is collected, blended with gum, salt, and water to make a dispersion. The resulting dispersion is heated; oil and emulsifiers are then added to make a pre-mix. The pre-mix is then heated, homogenized, and cooled to make the imitation dairy composition.
In another embodiment of the invention, the soy protein source is soy flour which has been protease-treated in order to hydrolyze the protein, followed by heat treatment to inactivate the enzyme and to denature a substantial amount of the proteins and carbohydrates (i.e., at least about 40 percent and at least about 50 percent, respectively) contained therein. The enzyme treatment will also enhance emulsion functionality and reduce the average molecular weight of the soy protein molecules. For example, an aqueous dispersion of soy flour is treated with a protease and then heated to inactivate the protease and denature a substantial amount of the proteins and carbohydrates. The treated soy flour can be used in various food products. For example, to prepare a soy-containing dip, the treated soy flour is blended with gum, salt, and water to make a dispersion. The resulting dispersion is heated; oil and emulsifiers are then added to make a pre-mix. The pre-mix is then heated, homogenized, and cooled to make the imitation dairy composition.